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Thursday, February 08, 2007

More on the QPR/China Brawl

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Update:
BBC - Brawl mars QPR game against China

QPR have pledged to investigate the events that led to the abandonment of a match against China's Under-23 side.
Police were called after the game at Rangers' training ground was halted following a mass brawl in which China's Zheng Tao was knocked unconscious.
The player was taken by ambulance to Hillingdon Hospital with a suspected broken jaw.
"We will conduct our own internal investigation into this matter," said QPR chairman Gianni Paladini.
"If any of our players are guilty of any wrongdoing then they will be dealt with accordingly
.
"At this point in time, however, I really can't say any more than that. We are looking into what happened."
Premiership official Dermot Gallagher was refereeing the match. BBC

Chinese international in hospital after QPR brawl
Reuters - Thu Feb 8, 2007

BEIJING, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Chinese under-21 international Zheng Tao was knocked unconscious and taken to hospital following a brawl in a match against Queens Park Rangers at the English club's training ground on Wednesday, according to media reports.

The violent fracas caused Premier League referee Dermot Gallacher to abandon the friendly in west London with QPR winning 2-1 in the second half.

Xian Chanba defender Zheng was unconscious for five minutes after the fighting.

"I've never seen anything like it in my life," a witness told the Web site of the Ealing Gazette. "There were punches, kung-fu kicks and all sorts. It was absolute mayhem."

The Chinese, in England for a two-week stay at Chelsea's training complex, are considering sending Shanghai Shenhua striker Gao Lin back home after the incident, according to a report on Sohu.com.

"Today there was a brawl in the match against Queen's Park Rangers. As the representative of the Chinese coaches I apologise for it," assistant coach Jia Xiuquan told Sina.com.

"In the future we will put more effort in to strengthening the management of the players and will definitely avoid similar things happening again. Again, I apologise to the domestic fans who love and support the team."

Ratomir Dujkovic, the coach of the squad which will represent China at the Beijing Olympics next year, told Titan Sports: "I never expected to see this kind of thing. We came here to train, not to fight. I am very disappointed, very." Reuters

GUARDIAN - China international in hospital after QPR brawl
(adds more detail, Gao apology)
BEIJING, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Chinese under-21 international Zheng Tao was knocked unconscious and taken to hospital following a brawl in a match against Queens Park Rangers at the English club's training ground on Wednesday, according to media reports.
The violent fracas caused Premier League referee Dermot Gallacher to abandon the friendly in west London with QPR winning 2-1 in the second half.
Xian Chanba defender Zheng was unconscious for five minutes after the fighting, which was sparked off when Gao Lin hit a player from the English second division club.
"I've never seen anything like it in my life," a witness told the Web site of the Ealing Gazette. "There were punches, kung-fu kicks and all sorts. It was absolute mayhem."
The Chinese Olympic team for next year's Beijing Games are in England for a two-week stay at Chelsea's training complex in Cobham.
Shanghai Shenhua striker Gao, who could be sent home, said he had been provoked.
"I failed to control myself in the match," he said in a apology published on Sina.com.
"When facing the provocation I failed to obey the three rules of submitting to the referee, respecting opponents, and not striking back, which caused the incident ... I sincerely apologise to the fans."
China's assistant coach Jia Xiuquan also apologised.
"In the future we will put more effort in to strengthening the management of the players and will definitely avoid similar things happening again," he said.
Chinese players are often accused of lacking the physicality to compete with sides from outside Asia and there were scuffles in the first tour match against a Chelsea reserve side on Monday.
"I never expected to see this kind of thing. We came here to train, not to fight. I am very disappointed, very," head coach Ratomir Dujkovic told Titan Sports. Guardian